Stakeout
by you'vegotthis
Summary: There's not much to do on a stake-out. Sexy waiting, of a different kind. Co-authored by AnnieXMuller.
1. Chapter 1

"No activity," came Esposito's voice over the crackle of the scanner.

"None here either," she responds, releasing the button and following it with yet another long sigh. She wishes Castle was here, but he'd already promised Alexis one last circuit of favorite eateries before she heads off for the dorms. By the time the team figured out they needed to sit on Robert Conner's apartment building, Castle was putting on his coat.

Her shiver was reminder that soon, she was going to need to turn over the engine or risk freezing to death waiting for Conner to sneak out. She smiled at the thought of Castle appreciating the irony of dying in the line of duty while sitting in complete boredom.

The neighborhood was quiet, and Conner's apartment building sat on a corner with two possible exits. The boys were around the corner watching the west side, she could just make out their unit from her viewpoint.

So far the only illegal activity they'd witnessed was the old man who hadn't cleaned up after his miniature schnauzer.

"Rude," came the disgusted voice of Ryan over the radio, breaking the silence.

Other than that, watching the billow of white ephemeral swirls that came from her mouth and nose when she sighed had been her only companion. Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

"Hey sexy, you catch him yet?" His greeting warmed her instantly.

"Hey, no activity yet. How's your dinner with Alexis?"

"Ronnybrook Farms. Monster ice cream sundae. Worked it like a champ, you'd have been proud."

"All you ate was ice cream?" a judgmental tone crept in.

"Yes detective, all we ate was ice cream, I live on the edge."

"The edge of a sugar coma. Where are you now?"

"Still here, Alexis is flirting with the counter boy, and for some reason she doesn't require my help. I thought I'd do a little flirting of my own. You know, like daughter, like incredibly handsome father? "

She rolled her eyes, "Castle."

He didn't miss a beat, "so, what are you wearing?"

"A badge Castle. I'm wearing a badge, which means I'm on duty."

"Is that all you're wearing?"

"No, actually I'm also wearing a _gun_."

"You will always be my bad ass."

"And you'll always be my jackass."

He sucked his teeth, "Doesn't that just say my taste is better than yours?"

"I'm hanging up on you."

"Before you go, come by when you're done? I miss you." She bit her thumb.

"We'll see, I have no idea how long we'll be here."

"Do you at least have coffee?"

She glanced at the convenience store swill that Ryan had supplied. It had long since gone cold. "Yeah, sort of."

"Come over and I'll fix you a cup." And then she could hear Alexis in the background, "We'll talk later."

And then he was gone.

* * *

She watched Ryan make his way down the sidewalk, avoiding small piles of dirty snow and rounding the tree growing out of the urban landscape. She pressed the auto-lock to let him in.

"Jeez, turn on the car before you become a human popsicle Beckett. Gates will kill you if you show up without a trigger finger."

Castle's flair for the dramatic was definitely rubbing off on the junior detective. It struck her that just about everything made her think of Castle.

He slides down into his coat, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, "Javi says to tell you he needs some alone time." They smile at each other, the silent message conveyed between partners. Her boys are looking out for her.

She turns the key and the engine roars to life but it still takes a minute for the blowers to produce anything but cold air.

A comfortable silence suffers them through the wait and when the air finally warms, Ryan blows on his fingers and holds them over the vents. And then he turns to her.

"I've been waiting for the right time to tell you something."

She tenses, their companionable silence suddenly jeopardized. The look of worry changes her features, her mouth turning down.

"Jenny's pregnant."

"Oh. Oh my god. Kevin, congratulations!" she chokes out, her eyes shiny as she reaches to hug him awkwardly. When they pull apart, Kevin Ryan's enthusiasm pours out in the speed of his next words.

"We just told our parents last week, I've been dying to tell you guys. I just now told Javi, and I wanted to tell you and Castle together, but neither one of you have been hanging around the precinct when we get any downtime."

A shot of guilt goes through her. She tries to remember a good reason why she and Castle are hiding things from their family. Before the thoughts are fully formed Ryan is continuing.

"She's due in May, and Jenny has been such a trooper. No morning sickness yet!"

"That's great, I am so happy for you guys." As she says it she feels every bit of it. Life is going on around her. Happy life. A smile lights up her whole face.

* * *

"You tell mom about the thing?" Esposito's voice interrupts Kevin's relaying of Jenny's first ultrasound.

"Yeah,_ tio_, I know," she says into the handset, "Guess we need to make him do all the dirty work from now on so he doesn't gain any sympathy weight."

"Hey!"

"Works for me, I'm out of coffee over here, I think I saw a 24-hour bodega around the corner." There's a brief static break before he breaks in again. "Not it."

And before Kevin knows what's happening, Beckett too declares, "not it."

He rolls his eyes and comically braces himself to open the door against the wintry blast. Before he closes the door he throws in, "the baby will not be named after either of you."

* * *

A baby.

It gets her thinking.

Kevin has grown up so much in the four plus years she's known him. He's settled in, marriage has matured him, his love seasoned after his wedding vows. There was a depth in his life she suddenly envied. He was tied to the earth, tied to responsibilities and people, and he was content in that.

She looks around at brick apartment buildings lining the street, a few windows still lit. Rockwellian scenes play out in her mind. Her mind drifts to Castle's loft.

Damn, why did all roads lead to Castle?

Which reminds her. She yawns as she pulls her phone from her pocket. No message from him.

The wind picks up and she notices she can see her breath again.

The knock on her window makes her jump.

Speak of the devil.

* * *

Castle struggles to cram the picnic basket in the seat between them. "Hoha, its freezing out there," his unceremonial greeting. He nods toward the street, "where are Ryan and Esposito?"

"Up the street. You wanna explain this?" She gives a nod at the basket.

He smirks, reaches into the basket and produces a coffee in each hand, hiding the rest of the contents from her as she leans over to see what else he may have.

"Extra shot of espresso," as she reaches for the cup he doesn't let go. "Don't forget to tip your delivery man."

She smiles and looks around quickly before leaning over to peck his lips.

"That's all I get? I mean seriously, it is freezing out there and I did come all this way to bring you coffee.

She raises her eyebrows and gives him her classic stare, "Are you saying I owe you?"

"No?" he says weakly.

"Cause I'd say you were forgetting about last night a little too quickly,_ delivery_ _man_." She shoots him a knowing look and takes a swig from her coffee. His eyes get big and he swallows.

"I think we'd be more comfortable in the back seat."

"Stake out, Castle. This is an investigation." She's said it stoically, but he catches her smile before she hides it behind her coffee cup.

He lets his eyes roam over the neighborhood, "no movement yet?"

"Nothing. Looks like everybody's snuggled down for the night. But I'm thinking our guys got to make his move tonight. Limaco and he were into something, either he killed him, or he knows who did. Too much heat on him not to make a move."

"Wish there was a little more heat on me." He says it seriously and then laughs at his own unintentionality, "Didn't even plan that one." His lips suddenly look really good to her.

"What else you got in that basket?" she asks, curious and needing the distraction.

"Oh wouldn't you like to know, Detective?" And he moves to place it on the back seat, shuffling around and coming back with a blanket and Styrofoam container. "Pasta Primavera. Bet you haven't eaten since lunch."

He wraps himself in the blanket as she joyously attacks her lukewarm food. "You only brought one blanket?" She asks between bites.

"I did mention the back seat Kate. Loads easier to share back there."

"I'll bet."

Although, she would love to take her shoes off and shove her frozen toes under his thigh right now.

Determined, she puts the food carton on the dash and slowly moves into him. She lets him see her flick her eyes from his to his lips and back again. His eyes go wide as she wraps her gloved fingers around the edge of the soft material at his chest. She's practically nose to nose with him and she knows he thinks she'll kiss him.

Instead she steals his blanket.

"Hey!" he complains following her to her side of the seat and leaning in to tussle with her. He loves her games.

Suddenly the back door opens, interrupting them.

"Hey Castle," Ryan calls as he slips in the back seat.

"Who brings a picnic basket to a stake out?"

* * *

A/N: flying by the seat of my pants.

AxM, you see the potential for the M chapter don't you? A little back seat treat? A little steak-out on their stakeout? I challenge you to write it.


	2. Chapter 2

Suddenly the back door opens, interrupting them.

"Hey Castle," Ryan calls as he slips in the back seat.

"Who brings a picnic basket to a stake out?"

* * *

She feels Castle tense up, his facial expression unmoving except for his eyes, which dart to her.

It gives her pause, because it's not like they just got caught by Ryan. What's he got to be nervous about? She eyes him suspiciously as he offers his excuse.

"Just a few things to make me more comfortable." She knows when he's telling a half-truth, but it doesn't matter because Ryan's attention has shifted.

"I only brought three coffees," Ryan apologizes.

"It's okay, Castle brought me one." Beckett holds up her cup.

"Figures," Ryan says, shivering as he pulls a cup from the bag.

From the corner of her eye and out of the view of Ryan, who is sitting behind Castle, she sees him reach for the edge of her blanket, sliding his hand underneath.

She shifts from her lax position behind the steering wheel to sit up fully, simultaneously preventing his advances and looking back at Ryan.

"Still no movement," she uses the opportunity to open her eyes wide at Ryan and then nod toward Castle, a silent invitation.

"Yeah right, so Castle, there's been something I've wanted to tell you."

"If this is about trading partners, it's a no-go," and then he pointedly looks at her, "I just got this one trained."

She snorts.

"Besides, Esposito's a little too prickly." Beckett shoots him a look before he continues, "I think we all know he's not a snuggler."

"Dude, I am totally telling him you said that."

She can see where this is going. "Okay, enough. Ryan just tell him."

Castle turns in his seat to face Ryan.

"Jenny and I are having a baby."

There is a beat of silence she wasn't expecting from him. His mouth is open just that little bit she's come to read as speechlessness. It's usually reserved for moments when she's done or said something to him he can't believe.

"Congratulations," he finally squeaks out, she notices his eyes are suspiciously shiny. "Sorry, man, it's just . . . that's so great. I'm so happy for you and Jenny." He's reached to offer a congratulatory feed-the-birds move.

"Thanks Castle."

"Best thing that's ever happened to me, becoming a dad." Castle's genuine sentiment is written all over his face. It softens her to him even more.

"Yeah, well, I can only hope this kid's half as great as Alexis."

"Yo, Beckett, movement on the west side," Esposito's voice over the radio alerts all three occupants. "Not sure if it's him, but same build, grey coat, black cap, headed west. I'm gonna follow on foot."

Ryan's out of the car and moving to back up his partner.

"I'll take your unit position, just in case it isn't him," he hears Beckett update, "Ryan's on his way."

"Castle, stay here, if you spot the guy, radio it in."

She's halfway out the door as she hears him whine, "okay, but your job is totally ruining our date."

* * *

He takes a moment to shift to her seat behind the wheel, gathering the blanket around himself. This isn't going to be nearly as much fun without her.

He checks his phone. Too late to call Alexis, or anybody else for that matter. He sighs, noticing the billow of white ephemeral swirls that come from his mouth and nose. He cranks the engine.

* * *

He's got a great game of Angry Birds going, the tropical heat from the blower allowed him to free his hands from the blanket. He's contemplating taking off his coat when he hears her voice, scolding, "Castle. Turn off the car, I can see the exhaust from here."

He reaches for the police radio, fiddles with the switch, "Hey, any word on the guys?"

"They're still following the suspect. Are you still looking out for anyone exiting the building?" There's a suspicious tone in her voice.

He looks around, clicking off the app, how does she do that? "Sure, nothing yet."

"Keep watching."

There's a minute of silence in which he really tries to be vigilant. "Kate?"

She knows that tone, closes her eyes a moment before she responds, she's certain she knows what's next. She's taking the bait anyway, if only to see what surprise he might have for her. He's always surprising her. It's one of his most endearing frustrations.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna have police radio sex?"

"Castle," she hisses, "this is a monitored channel."

Oops.

* * *

Ryan and Esposito have made a positive id. Their guy is holed up in his own office a few blocks from the apartment. Esposito thinks they might be able to catch him getting rid of evidence if they're a little patient. She radios Castle to move the cars and waits for him to take the lead, pulling in behind him in a tow away zone just down the street from the office. Castle can see the three cops consulting in the rearview mirror.

"We've got to turn off the engine," she says sliding into the passenger seat, "it's freezing out there."

He really wishes he could take her in his arms and warm her up. Heat up Nikki Heat. _Later_, he tells himself, leaning over the seat to reach in the basket. It's a tight squeeze to fit half his body over the seat beside her, and a huge invasion of her space. She closes her eyes trying to refocus on the moment. She's used to his invasion of her space, the physical closeness. It wasn't always easy before they were together, but she had lots of practice resisting the feelings. She just needs to figure out how to do this now that she has succumbed to the temptation. Without realizing it, when he returns to his seat, his antics kill the mood for her.

He attaches a gaudy plastic hula girl to the dashboard and turns to grin at her.

"Half the battle is mental," he says, giving the doll a flick with his finger, making it sway. She shakes her head at him but can't help but smile as he spreads the blanket out to cover them both. She adjusts herself and the rearview mirrors so she can monitor the situation.

Ryan and Esposito are cast in shadow in the vehicle behind them, she can just make out their breath as the light from the streetlamp hits them from somewhere above. If she can see her partners, they can certainly see her. It's a disappointment.

She slips her hands back under the blanket, rubbing them on her thighs to warm them up. Her eyes stay fixed on the mirror as Castle settles in closely beside her. He's taking up more than his fair share of the space. His body is warm as he leans his side against hers, and it would be so easy to just let him stay connected. With a sigh, she lifts a hand from her thigh and gives him a light shove. She tilts her head, cocks an eyebrow, and waits.

He gets the message, and edges back onto his own seat, clearly as unhappy with the situation as she is.

The hyper-vigilance of waiting for action leaves them both restless.

She is rearranging the blanket when his hand drops to her thigh. His touch is light at first, hesitant. He's unsure just how much he can get away with. How much she'll let him get away with. This thing between them is new, but really, it's old. He's always pushed boundaries with her.

When she doesn't push him away immediately, he gets bolder. Trails his hand over her toned thigh, to the inside seam of her pants. Follows the seam up, feels her squirm slightly as his hand journeys higher.

Patiently, he waits for her eyes to find his. This is how he knows his boundaries with her, their communication not with lips but with eyes. He can see her determination as she turns her head to focus on the side mirror, not acknowledging his actions, except that the arm leaning on the car door just moved so that the back of her hand covers her mouth.

Her legs ease just a little further apart as he begins to tease her through the fabric of her jeans. He sees her bite down on the back of her hand. Turnabout is fair play. She has been bold like this with him in the past, cupping him under precinct desks or behind the closed elevator doors, but he never thought she'd let him return the favor. Her sharp intake of breath ruptures the silence.

He's openly watching her, she knows, but there is a distinct danger in meeting Castle's eyes at this moment. She breaths out through her mouth, slow and steady, blowing like some extinguished party candle is at stake. Wills this breath to control her struggling body.

He sees her skin is a pinker hue now; her eyes remain locked on the side-view mirror, but she blinks just a little longer, a little faster, than normal. Her eyelids flutter, and she fights to keep them open.

He teases the closure on her pants, before throwing caution to the wind and unsnapping them. He lowers the zip painfully slow, the sound of the metal releasing almost deafening in the quiet car.

"Too bad we can't get a look at what he's up to in that office," Esposito laments through the crackle of static.

He's pulling his hand away like he's been burned, and she's closing her jeans and sitting up straight before either of them has a chance to think about it.

* * *

A/N: Guess who finally convinced AnnieXMuller to co-author? Can you tell what HEAT she brought to it?


	3. Chapter 3

Stakeout

Last chapter:

He teases the closure on her pants, before throwing caution to the wind and unsnapping them. He lowers the zip painfully slow, the sound of the metal releasing almost deafening in the quiet car.

"Too bad we can't get a look at what he's up to in that office," Esposito laments through the crackle of static.

He's pulling his hand away like he's been burned, and she's closing her jeans and sitting up straight before either of them has a chance to think about it.

* * *

He finally breaks the interminable silence that has descended on them.

"You know, we could always pretend to be a drunk couple in love, sneak up on him?" he says, well aware of where her mind will go.  
"Castle, he's already seen me, I just interrogated him in the precinct a few hours ago."

"Still, can we pretend to be a drunk couple in love?"

She gives him her evil eye. "Focus Castle."

Without looking at him, she does slide her hand over to his, letting his large fingers grip her smaller ones.

* * *

"So, Ryans' are having a baby," he starts.

"Yeah, I know right?" when the look on her face is unreadable, he knows she's thinking too hard, but she smiles at him, "Kevin will make a great dad."

"You ever think about it?"

There's a long pause before she answers, "Sometimes. Maybe. Someday," she stutters, "you?"

He considers her. Her mouth may be saying one thing, but her eyes are saying more.

"Yeah, I love being a dad. I'd do it again."

The words hang between them.

* * *

"Yo, Beckett, you wanna do this in shifts? No point in all of us being on alert," Espo's voice comes over the two-way.

"Sure, we'll take first shift." There's no way she's resting with all these thoughts circulating in her head.

"Cocoa?" He offers.

"You have cocoa?"

He seems almost offended, "How long have we been partners?"

"You never bring me cocoa, Castle," she reminds him.

She opens the basket, and sure enough - there's thermos sitting neatly amongst the various items inside. She's pulling it from the basket, when a flash of silver catches her eye. Straightening up, thermos in her hand, she tosses a condom foil onto his lap.

"Ever the optimist, hmmm, Castle?"

He simply shrugs. "As a Boy Scout, I was trained to be prepared."

"I highly doubt that's what they meant."

She focuses on unscrewing the top off the thermos and adds, "I also doubt you were a Boy Scout."

She ignores the forced gasp of shock, because she knows she didn't just offend him, and inhales the aromas leaving the now open thermos. She exhales happily. Cocoa.

His hand drops to her thigh as she sips, but it only lingers long enough to see he set the packet, which bears the brand name _Big Boy,_ has been left to balance on her leg.

"You're pushing your luck there a little, don't you think, Castle?"

"Nothin' little about it, Kate," he smirks.

She quirks an eyebrow at him, a smile tugging at her lips.

He's ignoring her narrowed eyes as he kneads her hip with his thumb. He can't keep from touching her now. Alone, certain parts of her body out of view from others, he can't help but drop a hand onto her, apply pressure, caress. He's waited four years to be able to touch her, and he's making up for those years of having to keep his hands to himself.

Static crackles over the two-way and he flinches, snaps his hand back. She places the now empty mug back on top of the thermos, and turns to place it back in the basket. The movement shifts the foil from her lap, and it drops to the floor by her feet, forgotten. She sits poised, anticipating the words about to come through.

* * *

"We got movement. Look alert."

Just like that Beckett is out of the car, deftly closing the door with a soft click as she moves in a crouched position, hidden from their suspect in her stealth, moving along the street-side of the parked cars. He watches as Esposito and Ryan walk past his viewpoint, guns drawn.

"NYPD, hands up Conner."

Their suspect's hands are empty and they all notice.

"What did you do with the evidence?" Esposito starts, bringing the man's hands from behind his head to handcuff him.

"I want a lawyer."

"Look at that," Castle reaches out to pull a string of paper off the man's pants, "looks like a shredder job."  
"Now what was so important that you would need to shred it at 2:30 in the morning?" Ryan says, patting down Connor's pockets. He pulls a wallet, and on flipping it over shows the rest of the team his discovery. A license belonging to their victim.

"I'd call _that_ probable cause."

"So," Esposito says slowly, "I suppose someone should stay behind to collect the evidence. Not it."

"Not it," Kate and Castle respond simultaneously. All three looking at Ryan.

"Aw man, I found the license, and besides, Beckett you said after the last garbage search that you had the next one."

She looks at him incredulously, "I called not it. You want to break the rules of 'not it'?"

Castle is beaming at her.

* * *

"A little help, Castle?" Beckett is eyeing the dumpster, aware she's not going to get into it on her own. Her scar still pulls a little at times, although she won't admit that to Castle.

He doesn't question her abilities, happy to have an excuse to touch her. Linking his fingers together he holds them low for her. "Just don't impale me with your shoes," he warns lightly.

With her hands on the dumpster, and her foot in his, she pushes off the floor, and tugs herself up as he hoists. She finds a foothold, and clings to the side of the dumpster, poised to swing her leg over as though she is mounting a horse - when his hands connect with her ass and she almost loses her footing.

"Castle," she warns, though it's little more than a hiss.

"What?" He asks innocently, hands still on her. "I'm helping."

"That," she says, turning her head slightly to nod at his hands, "is the opposite of helpful." She regains her grip, and grunts. She eases a leg over, swings around, and drops down into the trash. Once inside, she turns and reaches over to help him as he hikes himself to the lip of the bin. There isn't innocence to where her hands touch him to assist.

"Works both ways Castle," she grins devilishly at him.

Castle groans, and hauls himself over on his own with a lot less grace than she managed, fights his way into the trash, sprawling and undignified among the piles of paper.

A disgusted sound leaves his lips as he straightens up.

Beckett laughs lightly. "It's just shredded papers, Castle, you'll be fine."

He grabs hold of her while he finds his balance among the piles of papers, and pieces of cardboard. He brushes her breasts, eliciting a small gasp from her.

"You did that on purpose," she tells him.

He holds both hands up in surrender.

"I didn't, honest to God."

He flicks his head around, checking they're still alone.

"This, however, is most definitely deliberate," he says, while cupping her right breast in his hand, soothing his thumb over her nipple through her shirt.

He leans into her, his eyes dark, his smile dangerous.

She breathes in a shaky breath, his hand warm against her, his thumb sending surges of arousal through her. But they can't, not here.

"Castle, focus," she warns.

"I am," he replies, his eyes fixed solely on her chest.

"On. the. documents."

"Oh." He drops his hand, almost sadly, and glances down. "Where's the fun in that?"

* * *

A/N: Castle and Beckett aren't the only ones having a little dirty fun at work. Don't worry, if AnnieXMuller or I are discovered writing this stuff at our jobs, we'll have more time for writing fanfic. Let the cow rioting (co-writing) continue! Next chapter is rated M.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Last chapter in this first experiment in co-authoring with AnnieXMuller. All the hot stuff is all her! All the late posting is me!

From the last chapter:

"Castle, focus," she warns.

"I am," he replies, his eyes fixed solely on her chest.

"On. the. documents."

"Oh." He drops his hand, almost sadly, and glances down. "Where's the fun in that?"

* * *

The next day is a whirlwind, finish the paperwork and an afternoon off to try to catch up on sleep. She's already encouraged him that napping separately might energize their date tonight. He was persistent in his pursuit of details on exactly what she meant.

Seven unanswered sexts later, he arrives at her door a full forty minutes before their agreed upon time.

She pulls her coat on over her lingerie before she opens the door for him. Kate's no fool, if he sees her before she's ready, they'll never leave the building.

"What? No sneak peeks?" he says by way of greeting, snagging the belt on her coat as he passes her in the doorway.

"Spoiler-free," she murmurs into his mouth quickly, kissing him lightly as she takes the belt from his hand and moves to close the bedroom door in his face.

Ten minutes of him cajoling her to come out by calling through the door with clever,

"Kate, can you show me where you keep the fire extinguisher?"

("My neighbor is a big burly firefighter, why don't you run over and ask him to help.")

"Kate, let me in, I cut myself, I'm bleeding."

("I have some lemon juice in the fridge, use that.")

"I'm shipping out to join the army tomorrow, I may not come back. This could be our last night together."

This time she doesn't respond.

He's leaning heavily on the door when she finally opens it, re-wrapped in her coat. He can't help himself as he stumbles into her, greedily capturing her lips with his. He's turned on and intent but she's determined, after all, she's got plans of her own. She swats his hand from the belt on her coat and leads him to the door, grabbing a bag by the door on the way out.

"You know my mother is home, right? We'd be so much more comfortable here."

"Who says I want you comfortable?" She replies, eyebrows raised.

She keeps her coat tied securely as she leads the way out to her car, and he whines the entire way. She swats his hand away, threatens him with her gun, and tells him to zip it.

"No touching, Castle," she warns as the elevator doors close and the cab begins to descend.

"But-"

"Patience." She speaks the word calmly, evenly. But, she's not calm; she's losing patience herself. She just wants to grab him, push him back against the walls of the elevator, lick her way up the warm skin of his neck, nip at his stubble-roughened jaw, her hands on his lapels, holding him in place. She licks her lips as she imagines the positions reversed, and in her mind she's the one pressed hard against the cool mirrored walls, her coat open, his hands on her breasts, her waist, his lips everywhere. She closes her eyes, suppressing the aroused shudder threatening to course through her and give her away. She opens her eyes and stares straight ahead, feeling his eyes boring into her, she can see his head turned her way in her peripheral vision. She can't turn, can't meet those eyes - or can she? She glances around the interior of the elevator, avoiding his gaze as she scans the walls, ceiling, everywhere, for signs of a camera. There's one particular fantasy that they could perhaps-

They reach the ground floor, and she exhales a frustrated, but relieved, breath as the doors open. No elevator sex tonight.

He hears the chirp of the autolock on her police unit before he sees it, surprised she wants to use it for their date, knowing she has to log the miles for a monthly report. The clicking of her heels on the floor of the garage slows, but as he turns to question her about it, he sees her watching him from the corner of her eye. It's a knowing look.

* * *

She's wearing very little, even less than he's aware of, under that coat. And she has no intention of driving at all. A detective caught out on the streets of New York in just lingerie and a coat, making out with her partner in the back of her cruiser - yeah, that won't be happening.

The getting caught, that is.

The rest of it? Oh yeah, that's happening. Because all she wants to do is play out a little fantasy that loops through her mind, one he's planted during their stakeout. It can't happen while she's on duty, but that doesn't mean with a little imagination it can't happen at all.

The garage is empty, and dark, and she's parked between a couple of cars she knows won't move tonight. And when she opens the back door for him, she knows this is going to take some flexibility and contortion to work.

"What exactly are you planning?" He's eying her with a hint of hesitation, a flash of confusion before he blinks it away. At least, he thinks, it's not the trunk.

"A night in, of sorts," she replies calmly. "Get in, Castle."

He does as ordered, slipping down into the back of her Crown Vic. When she inclines her head, tilts her jaw up a little, he slinks across to the opposite side, as he has been silently ordered to do.

She hitches a leg up, and places her foot inside the car. Her coat rides up, separates a little at the bottom, and all he can see is her smooth, tanned skin. A lot of it.

She slips in beside him, and pulls the door closed. The good Detective turns to face him, and the look in her eyes is the most predatory he's ever seen. He knows he's in trouble.

"Ah, Kate," he croaks out, watching her intently. "Are we going somewhere?"

She smiles and shakes her head even as she her arms embrace his neck, drawing him to her.

* * *

Kate dodges an elbow in the face with all the reflexes of a trained detective.

He smiles sheepishly. "Sorry. Again."

She sighs at him. Not angrily, more a sigh of resignation. This had been easier when she was sixteen. It isn't going to work quite so well now. Their bodies, their legs, everything is just too long, too awkward. He's scrunched up uncomfortably, his neck bent at a painful angle, his head against the glass window. He has drawn his knees up as far as he can, but . . . it isn't enough. Damn. This needs to become less awkward and more sexy - and fast.

And then it hits her.

"Sit," she commands.

"What am I, a dog?" He asks, rubbing his neck as he sits up a little straighter.

"Just, shift, Castle. To the center, like you would normally sit in the back seat of a car." She edges back, ducks as he gracelessly swings his leg over her head. Her fingers toy with the belt of her coat while he repositions himself, and she suppresses a smile as he settles back and pretends to fasten his seatbelt. Once he is organized, she tugs at her belt, one pull enough to undo the half-bow. Her coat falls open, revealing the lingerie to him.

He swallows thickly at the vision before him. Kate Beckett, in a black and cherry-red baby doll, the soft fabric so sheer he can see she's not wearing underwear. She swings a leg over him - and she's definitely not wearing underwear - straddling his thighs, and lowering herself slowly down until her crotch brushes his, grinding down on his jeans.

"Think we need to do something about this," she murmurs, and before he knows it she's working his zipper.

She slips her hand through the soft slit in his boxers, and wraps her fingers around his thick, hot length. Easing him out through the silk boxers, she runs her hand up and down the length of him, squeezing him gently. He forgets how to breathe, until she lets him go and he whimpers at the loss, opens his eyes.

He feels the heat; at first his addled mind thinks it's from the friction, but then he spies the orange bottle peeking out the top of her bag, and he realizes his sly detective is inflicting the tortuous pleasure of warming lube upon him. He drops his head back, closes his eyes, and tries to stay in control, tries to keep this from ending too soon.

"You kept telling me you wanted me to warm you up," she smiles at him.

Her ministrations sped up, with each swift, smooth up and down motion of her hand she listens to the change in his breathing. She drops down a little, her lips descending onto his, and kisses him. His lips press firmly against hers, though he struggles to keep up a rhythm with her hand squeezing, and stroking, and sliding.

Her hand. The heat. Her body against his. He breaks the kiss, breathless. "God, Kate, I can't... I won't..."

And she knows what he means. She can feel it. He's hard and hot in her hand, his body is almost visibly thrumming with his need for her, and she swears he stopped breathing for a second. He's close.

Raising up on her knees, she leans forward to keep her head from hitting the roof of the car, and places her hands on the head rest behind him. She's dipping down to claim his lips again, when he lifts his hands to her shoulders and pushes her coat off, until the heavy fabric falls between her skin and the back of the front seats. Her arms fall to her sides, and she lets the coat slip to the floor.

Her breasts are level with his eyes, yet hidden behind deep red material. He slips the straps down her shoulders, helps her ease her arms through them, and then tugs the bra of the baby doll down to uncover her smooth, perfect breasts. He leans forward to capture a nipple between his lips and a low moan of arousal leaves her lips as his tongue drags across the peak. She lowers down onto his thighs, shifts up a little higher; her movements cause his lips to leave her skin, but she needs more.

He's still in his jeans, shirt unbuttoned and open, while she's almost naked and exposed, and she doesn't care.

His hands slide down her back, following her curves, his fingertips brushing her so lightly goose-bumps appear on her skin. Then his palms curl at her waist, his fingers pressing firmly into the jut of her hipbone, lifting her up just slightly.

She slips her hand down between them, wrapping her fingers around his hard length. She shifts her pelvis up, bites her lip between her teeth, and slides down on him. A soft sigh leaves her lips as he shifts his hips up and fills her.

Her arms wrap around his neck, drawing their bodies closer, and they pause for a moment. She checks through the back window for signs they're not alone, he's looking out the windshield, she whispers a "clear" into his ear, and then shifts her pelvis forward. Digging her knees into the back seat, she raises up, then slams back down, bucking her hips against him, taking him deep. As she sinks down, as he fills her completely, she rotates her hips, tries to feel him everywhere inside her at once. She needs more: more friction, more speed, needs him deeper, harder. Her stomach muscles are tight, her thighs burn, but it feels amazing. Faster, she moves, sinking all the way down and taking him as deep as she can. He thrusts upwards to meet her each time, bouncing on the seat beneath, holding her tight to him.

The heat is burning her up inside. Fire flows through her flames, licking at her heart, consuming her. The feel of him within her, beneath her, before her, and the thrill of being caught, combine into exhilarating sex. Her release builds steadily, flushing her skin, blurring her vision, threatening to undo her too soon.

He loses eye contact with her as her neck gives way to her body's release. He can see the column of her neck, her mouth open, the sharp intake of her breath. She's beautiful like this. He closes his eyes with the burn of the vision that is Kate Beckett in that moment, locked in his mind. And then he falls over the edge too.

"Shit," she says, slumping against him.

It makes him laugh, all she can do is curse. He did that to her.

"Guess we christened the cruiser," he says wrapping his arms over her shoulders, pulling her to rest against him.

"Illegal," she murmurs into his shoulder, "public indecency."

"I'll be sure and tell the boys," he says.

The slap she gives his chest doesn't have any energy behind it.

* * *

Their night isn't forgotten about soon.

Every once in a while when they're out doing some routine work, his hand brushes her thigh, finds the edge of her coat, lifting it up as he declares, "just checking," with a smirk.

He also 'accidently' holds open the back door of the car instead of the passenger door when they are out on a date. It was funny. The first ten times.

And then in late January, after she's practically frozen investigating a guy shot on the banks of the Hudson, she can't get the engine to turn over no matter how many times she cranks it. Esposito and Ryan exchange vehicles with her so she doesn't have to wait for a tow back to the station.

She bought them coffees as thank you.

"Ryan, man, you'd better clean that up, Beckett's gonna kill you," Espo cajoles his partner.

"If you'd learn how to brake without causing whip-lash, I wouldn't be cleaning anything up. . . what the hell?"

Esposito looks over at his partner.

Ryan is holding coffee-soaked tissue in one hand, and an unopened 'Big Boy' condom wrapper in the other.


End file.
